Covered slide buckle



D. l. REIITER 2,219,938

Oct, 29, 1940.

' COVERED SLIDE BUCKLE Filed May 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l /2 5&

INVENTOR Daniel 1'. Fefier ATTORNEY y Oct. 29, 1940. D n- COVERED SLIDEBUCKLE Filed May 23, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR Dame] alter BY JTTORNEY straps in place in the buckle.

Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COVERED SLIDE BUCKLE7 Daniel I. Reiter, New York, N. Y. Application May 23, 1940, Serial No;336,688 9 Claims. (01. 24-77) This invention relates to slide buckles.of the of sheet metal and on the arms of which a slide general typeshown in my prior Patents Nos. may be secured. I 1,857,973 and2,177,119. r Fig. 7 is a side view of the same.

In such buckles, a main frame slidably carries Fig. 8 is a front view ofa developed strip of an auxiliary frame or slide which in turn optionsheet metal from which the frame of Fig. 6 may 5.

ally carries an element of a separable snap fasbe bent up.

tener. Cooperating detent means may also be Fig. 9 is a front view of abuckle provided with a provided on the framesto prevent accidentaldisframe similar to the fr o x pt that turbance of the relativeadjustment thereof. the frame is formed of wire parts soldered ,to-

'The present invention contemplates the exteng i st a o a out-Out stripof sheet metal. 10

sion of. the field of usefulness of such slide buckles 10 is a vert a eS m Of a to many types of garments, belts, and straps to modified formof the main frame, wherein the which my prior patented buckles could nothere- Slide supp rt s made in the form of a cross Piece tofore beeconomically applied. integral with the inner portion of the main frame.

This invention further contemplates th pr n- Fig. 11 is a similarsection of another modified i5 sion of a covered and hence a protectedand orna f rm f the m in f m wher n he slide pmental main frame whichmay be formed in a port is integral with the outer part Of the mainnumber of difierent ways and made of a number f m .of differentmaterials,.and provided with suitable Fi 12 is a Similar section ofanother modified means for slidably and adjustably supporting the formof the main frame combining the inner 20 auxiliary frame or slide. framepart of Fig. 10 with the outer frame partof This invention furthercontemplates the provi- 11 to provide two la ss p s for sion of anadjustable and self-locking buckle hav- Suplwrting t e Sl de. ing anornamentalsheet metal or wire frame cov- 13 s a s i ar S t O another odfied ered with leather or the like, or textile or the like form of theframe wherein a str p of -shaped .25 fabric, whereby a comparativelyinexpensi cross-section is used and the inner frame member justableslide buckle is produced capable of many t decorative and usefulapplications in garments of 1311 is a o secti n of the frame membervarious kinds. of Fig. 13. r The invention further contemplates theprovi- 14 is a n o a t er modified form of sion of an adjustable andinexpensive slide buckle the frame d of a Strip of al doubled made atleast in part of inexpensive sheet metal 011 1956111 I such as iron orsteel and covered with leather, ig. 14a is a cross-section ofthe framemember fabric or the like, and having the adjustable slide of I.

and detent features above-mentioned whereby the 15 is & Verticalfragmentary Section Of i 35 buckle is adapted for use in alarge varietyof 9 showing one form of the cooperating detent garments and straps andbelts therefor. meafns on f Tram? and 011 t Slide:

The various objects of the invention will be 1615 slmllar showmglamodified clear from the description which follows and from form of the mOver m of the Shde; 40 the drawings, in which, 1 In the practicalembodiment of the invention 40 Fig. I is a front view of a covered slidebuckle t I Shown by of example and embodying my invention ferrmgparticularly to Figs. 1 2 and 3, the mam Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectionthereof taken on frame designated generally by numeral comprises anannular outer frame member H of the line 22 of Fig. 1 and showingthebelts or U shaped crosysection made of compam tively thin and cheapmetal such as. iron 3 1S a fragmentary Vertlcal sectlon of the and theinner annular frame member I2 o f :15:1 same. b v ilar material, also ofU-shaped cross-section and Fi 4 1s a fr n V w lm lar to a 1 of amoditelescoped into the member I I. A sheet of suiti 5 is a Similar ViewOf modified form o t like material I3, covers the outer face of thememinvention wherein a covered wire frame is prober H and its side edgesand is tucked between the vided for directly supporting the buckle slideadjacent cooperating-legs of the frame members member. Y 7 r I p I l andI 2- and held in stretched condition thereby;

55 Fig. 6 is a front view of a covered frame made When saidmembers'aretelescoped together, the 55 fied form of the main frame-ofthe buckle. able fabric, leather or imitation leather or the Vperipheral edges of the covering |3 are clamped tautly in place. Acentral opening as M is provided in the main frame and within theannular members thereof. Said opening is partly closed by the crosspiece l5 which is suitably secured to the frame member i2 as by therivets or the like fastening means IS. The frame cross-piece I5 ispreferably of greater length than that of the opening l4 and of lesserwidth whereby the remaining parts of the opening |4 not obstructed bythe crosspiece, constitute a pair of spaced slots l1 and I8 throughwhich the belt or strap i9 is passed to overlie the cross piece and theslide 26 carried thereby and to conceal them from View when the buckleis in use.

It will be understood that the cross piece I 5 may be made of materialconsiderably thicker than that of the frame members H and I2 in order toresist the rather severe stresses put thereupon. In said cross piece areprovided the spaced slots 2| and 22 having parallel inner edges atrightangles to the outer edges 23 and 24 of the cross piece-andconstituting guides controlling the movement of the slide 20. A thirdslot 25 between the slots 2| and 22 is made in the cross piece toreceive the end of the stud 26 (Fig. 2) when said stud is engaged by theresilient socket 21 carried by the slide. Those portions 28 and 29 ofthe cross piece-between the slots 25 and 2|,and 25 and 22 comprise thearms which support the slide for transverse movement. On such movement,the end edges of the slide may be projected into the slots l1 and I8 toengage the strap l9 and to hold said strap in its adjusted position tothe buckle. The edge portions of the slide 20 are doubled back to aposition parallel to the body part 30 to form the arms 3| of the slide.Reduced connecting parts between the arms 3| and the body 30 passthrough the slots 2| and 22 and slide on the edges of said slots. Thebody part 30 is provided with a pair of spaced slots 33a through whichthe attaching prongs 33 of the cylindrioal socket member 21 are passedand turned over to hold the'socket member in place. Arranged between thebody part 30 of the slide and the overhanging flange of the socketmember is the split resilient ring 32 which inwardly overhangs the edgeof a circular opening in the body part 3|). The resilient socket thusformed may readily be engaged by the stud 26 suitably secured to anotherstrap or belt part 34 of a garment or the like, whereby the strap partsmay be detachably secured together. When the fastener is assembled, thehead of the stud enters the opening 35 of the slide and the opening 25of the cross piece I5.

It will be noted that the slide 20 is adjustable along the cross pieceand relatively to the frame I8 from its extreme position at the left, asshown in Fig. 1, to an extreme position at the right, and may also beadjusted into intermediate positions. When at the right, the right-handend of the slide is projected into the slot l8. Since the prongs 36 areprovided preferably at both ends of the arms 3| and the body part 30,said prongs engage and grip that part of the strap which passes throughthe slot 8. It will also be noted that the prongs may take a number ofdifferent forms or may be omitted as will later appear. I

Detent means are optionally provided for main taining the slide 2|) inany position which it may be set relatively to the cross piece |5. Saidmeans may take the form of a projection 31 made in the arm 3| andextending in a direction to engage and rest between correspondingprojections as 38 made in the cross piece l5 and extending toward theprojection 31. Movement of the slide relatively to the frame and crosspiece is resisted by the obstructing action of the projections 38 tomovement of the projection 31 therepast. When a number of projections 38are arranged in spaced relation in the direction of the movement of theslide 20, then the slide may be adjusted to a position wherein theprojection 31 is between a selected pair of projections 38fand isthereby self-held in such position. To cooperate with the prongs 38 onthe slide 20 to hold the part I9 in its adjusted position in the slotsl1 and I8, an additional prong or projection 39 may extend inwardly ofeach of the inner edges of the frame member and into the slots.

It will be understood that the main frame member ID may take a varietyof different forms, the particular'form shown in Fig. 1 being octagonal.As shown in Fig. 4, however, the main frame 40 is of substantiallysquare shape provided with an opening 4| therein of rectangular shapeand divided by the cross piece l5 into a pair of spaced edge slots 42and 43. The main frame 40 may, similarly to the main frame I0, consistof two annular telescoped parts II a and |2a each of U-shapedcross-section adapted to hold the covering 44 thereof in place. Theslide 20 being constructed similarly to the slide of Fig. 1, no furtherdescription thereof is deemed necessary.

In either of the forms of the buckle thus far explained, it will beunderstood that the cross piece l5, instead of being made of a separatepiece secured to one of the frame members, may be made integral witheither or both of the main frame members as is shown in Figs. 10, 11 and12. In Fig. 10, the cross piece 45 is made integral with the inner framemember 48 and is provided with slots 2|a, 22a in the same manner as thecross piece [5 is provided with the slots 2|, 22; Preferably, thematerial of the inner frame member in this case is made somewhat thickerthan that of the outer frame member so that the cross piece 45 is givensufficient strength to resist the stresses put thereupon.

As shown in Fig. 11, the cross piece 41 is made integral with the outerframe member 48, and as shown in Fig. 12, both cross pieces 45 and 41and both frame members 46 and 48 are used, whereby the material of bothframe members may be comparatively thin and of equal thickness.

As has been hereinbefore mentioned, the buckle frame, while covered inall the forms illustrated, may be made of one or more parts and with orwithout a cross piece, but with a slide and belt slots, and the slidemay be provided with prongs or teeth or other forms of belt-engagingedges.

Referring now to Fig. 5, I have there shown the main frame member 50formed of a single piece of wire bent into generally H-shaped form.

The ends 5|, 52 of the length brought together at about the middle ofthe .side bar 53 are there soldered, welded, brazed, or otherwisesuitably securedtogether. The length of wire forming the frame is sobent as to provide parallel spaced side bars 53 and 54 of substantiallyequal length, a pair of shorter aligned belt-slot-defining bars 55, 56parallel to and spaced sufficiently from the side bar 53 to provide thebelt-receiving slot 51; a second pair of belt-slot-defining bars 58, 59similarly parallel to and spaced from-the side bar 54 and defining thebelt-receiving slot 80,

end bars as 61, 62 integral with and joining the outer ends of the bars53, 55 and 56, similar end bars joining the bars 54, 58 and 59, and thepair of parallel slide supporting bars 63, 64'joining the correspondingends of the pairs of beltslot-defining bars. A tubular sheath or cover65 comprising a strip of fabric, leather or the like is wrapped aroundthe wire with the peripheral edges thereof secured together as by meansof the stitching 66. A similar sheath or cover similarly made enclosesthe other side of the main frame including the various bars with theexception of the slide supporting bars 63, 64.

The slide 200. is mounted for sliding movement on the bars 63, 64 andcarries a resilient socket 21 as hereinbefore explained in connectionwith Figs. 2 and 3.

The prongs on the ends of the arms 3la. and on the body portion 390. ofthe slide may be greatly varied in shape and size or omitted, but asshown in Fig. 5 are of the single tooth type 51. -The detent 68, 69provided for movably maintaining the slide 2001. in its adjustedposition on the slide bars 63, 64 is shown in Fig. 5 in the form of aprojection 68 on the reduced portion of the slide adapted to cooperatewith recesses 69 in the outer'part of the slide bar 63. It will beunderstood, however, that the detent may take various forms, as shown bythe detent 31, 38 of Fig. 3, and that the arms 3la may also take variousforms.

As shown in Fig. 15, a series of spaced notches as 19 are formed in theslide bar 630. and the projection 1| pressed inwardly from the materialof the arm 3lb of the slide to enter the recesses 10. Said arm 3lbterminates in the serrated edge 36 in the form shown. In the form ofFig. 16, the arm 12 of the slide is bent and encircles the cross bar631) instead of being made parallel to the body portion 300 of theslide. In Fig. 6, the body part 3001 of the slide is made longer thanthe arms 3ld thereof and the prongs have been omitted from the ends ofthe arms and body portion. The straight end edge 13 however cooperateswith the frame of the buckle to grip'a belt therebetween. In Fig. 9, thearms 3le are made longer than the body portion and terminate in endedges 14 intended to enter the belt slots and grip the belt. It isintended that any of the various forms of the detent means or prongs maybe used on the slide of any of the frames, but to reduce the number offigures of the drawings, the different slides have been shown only inconnection with the frames of Figs. 5, 6, 9 and 16.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the frame 15 isformed from a strip of comparatively thin sheet metal, cut or stamped inthe shape of the straight strip shown in Fig. 8, having a portion ofuniform width and a pair of integral loops 1B, 11 outstanding therefromat the proper spaced intervals. The strip is bent on the dotted lines 18of Fig. 8 to bring the ends thereof together at the side bar 19 of theframe where said ends are soldered, welded, brazed or otherwise suitablysecured together. The side bars 19, 89 and the end bars BI, 82 of theframe 15 are covered by the sheath or covering 83 similar to the sheath65, but preferably the loops 16, 11 are not covered. A slide 26d similarto the slides hereinbefore described, is mounted for movement on theslide supporting bars 84, 85 at the inner parts of the loops, said slidesupporting bars being provided, if desired, with projections or indentsforming detent means similar to those hereinbefore described.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 9, the main frame 86 ispreferably made in the form of arectangle of a single piece of wire withthe ends suitably secured together as .at 81. Separate U-shaped loops as88, 89 are soldered, welded, brazed or otherwise suitably secured to therespective end bars 90, 9! of the frame thereby providing slidesupporting bars 92, 93 for the support of the slide 20c. The detent1110., Hot on the slide is similar to the detent 10, 1| and has beensufficiently described hereinbefore and no further description thereofis therefore deemed necessary. However, the arms 3le of the slide arehere shown as terminating in straight edges instead of serrated edges.The covering 94 is also made preferably in the form of a strip or sheathsimilar to the sheath 65 of Fig. 5 and covers the frame 86 but not theloops 88, 89.

In Figs. 13 to 14, I have shown other constructions of covered buckleframes which may each be made of a single piece of sheet metal andprovided with a slide-carrying cross piece, but

in which the covering need not be stitched to l the frame nor made inthe form of a sheath, nor held in place by telescoping frame members asin the forms hereinbefore described. Instead, the parts themselves ofthe one-piece frames are utilized to hold both the covering and thecross piece. As shown in Figs. 13 and 1311, the annular frame 95 of anydesired polygonal outline is of a single piece of channel stock, orU-shaped in cross-section having a Web 96 and legs 91, 98, and is bentinto the desired configuration with the ends of the strip of stocksecured together at a side of the frame. The cross piece I50 extendsacross the central opening of the annular frame as has been fullyexplained in connection with the crosspieces l5 of Figs. 1 and 4.However, the ends 99 of the cross piece are bent and inserted betweenthe legs 91, 98 which are clamped tightly together with the cover sheetK09 covering the outer face of the web 96 and both faces of the legs.The free edges of the legs 91, 99 are also clamped together beyond thebent ends 99 of the cross piece and hold the peripheral edge portions ofthe cover I00 in place without the aid of any other holding means. Itwill be understood that the thickness of the metal of the frame 95 isexaggerated in the drawings for the sake of clarity.

In Figs. 14 and 14a, a flat sheet of metal is stamped out into annularform having a central opening. The inner part IOI of the sheetsurrounding the opening is preferably unmutilated but the remainder 192of the sheet is provided with suitable corner cut-outs to permit it tobe doubled back on the face llll in a manner which is well understood inthe working of sheet material and hence need not be illustrated. Thecross piece Hat is inserted between the doubled together parts 19! andI92 of the frame with the peripheral edge parts of the covering 193tucked therebetween. Said edge parts as well-as the ends of the crosspiece are clamped in place by pressing the parts I01 and H12 firmlytogether without the necessity for the use. of stitching, or any otheradditional means. In this form of the frame, the parts HH and I02 areparallel and arranged in face to face relation, while all parts of theframe are covered except the cross piece.

It will be understood that in all of the forms of the buckle hereindescribed, the main frame is completely or partially covered by suitableflexible material which may be colored or ornamented as desired to forman ornamental buckle adapted for use in articles of so-called dressywear as well as for work garments, and providing a wide range ofpossible ornamentation by the use thereon of color, or impressing orstamping processes, or the use of colored and shaped materials ofvarious types.

It will also be understood that the main frames have their exposed andvisible portions ornamented by the covering material and may be made ina great variety of different forms and of onepiece or several pieces ashas been hereinbefore illustrated. In any case, however, it will be seenthat I have provided an ornamental buckle which is self retained in itsadjusted position and in which the adjustment cannot be accidentallydisturbed yet which is eflicient as Well as ornamental andwell adaptedto meet the severe requirements of practical use.

From the above, it will also be understood that various changes may bemade from the specific forms of the buckle herein shown, Withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and coming withinthe range of equivalents afforded by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an adjustable slide buckle, a metallic frame having end members,and having side members each provided with a substantially straightinneredge parallel to and spaced from the corresponding inner edge ofthe other side member, a slide-supporting member on the frame havingspaced parallel edges at right angles to and arranged between said inneredges of the side members, and having outer edges substantially parallelto and spaced inwardly from the adjacent inner edge of the side membersto define a pair of spaced belt-receiving slots in the frame, a cover ofa sheet of flexible non-metallic material stretched over the sidemembers of the frame, means securing said cover in place, a slide memberhaving arms passing around the above-mentioned edges of theslide-supporting member and movable inthe direction of said edges towardand from the inner edges of the side members, a snap fastener elementcarried by the slide member and cooperating detent means on the slidemember and the slide-supporting member for resisting movement of theslide member out of the ad.- justed position thereof.

2. In an adjustable slide buckle, a frame having an outer face and aninner face, a sheet of flexible non-metallic material covering at leastthe outer face of the frame and stretched tightly thereover, parallelslide-supporting arms on the frame, a slide supported by said arms andcarrying a snap fastener element and cooperating detent means on thearms and the slide.

'3. In an adjustable slide buckle, a first sheet metal annular framemember of U-shaped crosssection, a flexible non-metallic cover for saidmember, a second annular metallic frame member of U-shaped cross-sectiontelescoped into the first frame member with the. peripheral edge of thecover heldtherebetween, said frame members having registering centralopenings therein, a slide-supporting member extending across the openingand defining a pair of belt-receiving slots,

andvaj'slide supported by the slide-supporting memberJand adapted toengage a belt passed said U-shaped members being of less width and lesslength than the width and length of the frame, a flexible non-metalliccover mounted on the frame and a belt-engaging slide slidably mounted onthe arms.

' 5. Inan adjustable slide buckle, an annular metallic frame having sidebars and end bars, an, ornamental flexible. non-metallic cover stretchedon the frame, means forming part of the frame for holding the peripheraledges of the cover in place, a slotted slide-supporting cross pieceextending between the end bars, and a beltengaging slide slidablymounted on the cross piece and having arms bent through the slots of thecross piece.

6. In an adjustable slide buckle, a metal frame having side bars and endbars and having a loop extending inwardly from each of the end bars,each of said loops having a slide-supporting arm parallel to thecorresponding arm of the other loop and of less length than that of theend bars, and a flexible covering sheet enclosing the side bars and theend bars of the frame.

7. In an adjustable slide buckle, a metal frame of greater width ofmaterial than the thickness of said material, said frame having sidebars and end bars, a sheet of now-metallic material covering the endbars and side bars, means for securing the peripheral edges of saidsheet in place, means extending between the end bars for slidablysupporting a slide, and a belt-engaging slide slidably mounted on saidmeans.

8. In a slide buckle, a generally H-shaped metal frame provided with apair of parallel slide supporting arms of less length than the width ofsaid frame, a flexible moisture-resisting sheath for the remainder ofsaid frame excepting the arms, a slide mounted on and for movementlongitudinally of said arms, prongs on the slide, a socket carried bythe slide and cooperating detent means on the slide and said arms forpreventing accidental movement of the slide relatively to the frame.

9. In a slide buckle, a generally H-shaped metal frame comprising a pairof spaced side bars, an aligned pair of spaced shorterbelt-slot-defining bars parallel to and spaced inwardly of each of theside bars, end bars joining the outer ends of the side bars and thebelt-slot-defining bars, a pair of slide-supporting bars each integrallyjoining the inner ends of the corresponding bars of the pairs ofbelt-slot-defining bars and perpendicular thereto, the slide-supportingbars being parallel and bare, a tubular sheath of flexible materialcovering said bars except the slidesupporting bars, a slide mounted formovement longitudinally of said slide-supporting bars, a snap fastenerelement carried by the slide, and cooperating detent means on the slideand the slide-supporting arms for preventing accidental movement of theslide relatively to the frame.

DANIEL I. REITER.

